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The Duchy of Thorkan
Thorkan is located in the north of High Rock, with Northpoint to the east, Felway to the west, and Shornhelm to the south. For a while, Thorkan was entirely independent, but after a bloody war, the Duchy was created and vassalized by the Kingdom of Northpoint. This was profitable for the Kingdom, as the main thoroughfare through the Wrothgarians runs through Old Gate and Thorkan. The Duchy also has an abundance of mineral wealth, with mining being the leading industry. Industry Despite the large amount of coastline to the north, fishing is not a main source of industry within the province. Enough exists for the subsistance of some small fishing villages, and a port city, White Cliff, that does a fair amount of trade, but by and large, mining and the products made from those minerals are the driving force behind the thriving Thorkanian economy. Iron and Corundum deposits are found in abundance, with Ebony coming in a distant third, followed by Silver. Rumor has it that a Quicksilver vein has been discovered, but there has yet to be any offical recognition from the Duke. The smiths of Thorkan are also well renowned, not only for the quality of their work, but also the durability. Among the races of men, Thorkanian smiths share the upper echelon with their brothers in Skyrim, each having a distinct style. Where the Nords form their weapons to withstand earth-shattering blows and brute force, the Thorkanian's have adopted a somewhat slimmer blade, yet sharper, and more graceful. Some might consider it a combination of Elvish, Orcish, and Nordic style. Settlements There are only three settlements of note within the duchy. Old Gate, the capital, is seated in the south- central area of Thorkan, along the main route through the Wrothgarians. The city gets its name from a massive iron gate that has guarded the roadway and the surrounding areas from any who come through the Wrothgarians since early in the First Era. The town that originally formed around the Gate served as one of the last safe havens for those who would cross the Wrothgarians to Shornhelm or as a return to civilization for those who travelled in the opposite direction. Over the centuries, the town has grown into a true city, with large stone walls, guild halls for the various specialized smiths, marketplaces and stores for the finished products and the raw ores, several competing inns, and even a residential district that is dotted with gardens and manors. The second most recognizable structure, however, is the Chapel of Zenithar, who is the patron God of Thorkan. The Chapel, while smaller, is sometimes even compared to the Great Chapel of Zenithar in Leyawiin. The second largest settlement is Salchester, not quite a city, but larger than many towns. It lies to the northwest of Old Gate, and due east of Felway. The port here is the largest in all of Thorkan, despite it being quite small. The harbormaster handles the running of the port, and with a large pool of longshoremen, all crates are inspected and checked with their cargo manifests before being loaded or unloaded from the ships that dock here. Due to the forest that surrounds Salchester, a small lumber mill thrives on the outskirts of the town and woodworking artisans have begun to make their residences here, making use of the scraps from the lumber mill and the beautifully dark woods that make up that part of the forest. Not far to the northeast from Salchester is the small fishing town of White Cliff. Legend has it that the first settlers of White Cliff were Nordic explorers who had been in search of a safe bay to weather out a storm when the storm passed, Magnus rose, and the sunlight from Magnus struck the rock of White Cliff in such a way that it appeared to be made of marble. Despite its beauty, White Cliff is treacherous, with the ocean lying more than two hundred feet below the edge. In order to sustain itself, White Cliff relies solely on the fishing industry, but in order to get to the docks, carpenters were tasked with creating an elaborate staircase to descend the cliff. After several years, they succeeded, but when a rash of deaths occured due to rotten wood, a guild of carpenters formed and every other week, a team of carpenters inspects every stair and railing to ensure its safety. Along with this elaborate system of stairs, another system of lifts and cranes was built, to facilitate the easy moving of cargo, whether it be fish or other supplies, from the docks to the town proper. Government Thorkan is divided into four districts, the Eastern District, Western District, Northern District, and Southern District. Old Gate and the Granite Keep are located in the Southern District, White Cliff in the Northern District, and Salchester in the Western District. The Eastern District is predominantly a plains region, with several small groves and hills, and only a few small villages. While the whole of Thorkan is ruled by the Duke, the city of Old Gate is presided over by a mayor, who is appointed by the Duke. The mayor, in turn, appoints a council to assist him, except for the Ranger. In Salchester, a council of five people, six including the Ranger, govern. Two of the five councilmembers are from the two noble houses, and the remaining three are elected by the townsfolk. This council enacts new ordinances for the town, determines how the town's funds are spent and raised, among other functions. White Cliff is run differently, as where the other two settlements have some figure or figures of authority, this town is small enough that no representative is needed, and every decision is made with a majority vote. All decisions must be looked over by a Ranger before they can be enacted, however. Rangers are men who know how to survive outside of civilization and fend for themselves, but have also been taught, extensively, the laws of Thorkan. The Rangers travel among the four districts, judging trials, delivering punishments, and making sure the laws are upheld. Only in the city of Old Gate is there a non-travelling Ranger. With the position being held for life, older members are encouraged to settle down in one of the settlements and contribute their experience, not only to the settlement, but to their deputy, who takes on the travelling duties. In order to ensure that corruption does not find its way into the Rangers, each is made to swear an oath to the Duke, and any complaints about a Ranger are sent directly to the Duke, who then determines if the complaint has merit or not. House of Montrend The House of Montrend has ruled Thorkan since the 2nd Era, with Rurn Montrend, one of the founders of the Fraternal Order of the Knights of the Mines, being the first King of Thorkan. His great-grandson, Varnan Montrend, was the King at the time of the war with Northpoint, and it was he who would be the first Duke of Thorkan. Legend has it that the reason he conceded defeat was because four of his five sons had died in that one bloody battle, the only surviving son being Ruric, the eldest. The sons of the House of Montrend have always worked the mines for at least three years, typically between the ages of 15 and 18, to develop an appreciation for what their subjects go through everyday, to get an idea of where their wealth and power come from, and also to help make them stronger. The current house is thus: : {Duke Edric} - {Duchess Eritelle} {Duke Edwinn} - {Duchess Sennbe} :: Duke Veric Montrend - Cienele :: Ser Phinis - {unknown courtier} :: :: Irbran Other Houses Aside from the House of Montrend, there are three major Houses in Thorkan, and they are the Houses of Stroven, Mariit, and Stenoric. The Houses of Stroven and Mariit have ancestral lands outside of Salchester and in recognition of their long history of service to the town, each House has a seat on the council. The Harbormaster of Salchester has long been of the House, and many of the warehouses that service the port are owned by the house as well. The House of Mariit has dabbled in many different areas of the town, with varying degrees of success, but when the idea of a lumber mill was brought forward, the Mariits jumped on it and have overseen the entire operation, as well as providing patronage for many of the woodworking artisans who have moved to the area. The House of Stenoric holds a vast estate in the Eastern District and while there are no settlements of note in the entire district, the House has used this to its advantage. Many of the more notable Rangers have been Stenorics and all are regarded as expert horsemen, for their lands are split between farming and the raising of horses. Many of the best horses, no matter their purpose, in Thorkan were bred by the Stenorics. 'House of Stroven' The arms for the House of Stroven a gold dock crane on a field of blue. : Lord Gersic - Lady Cairele : Bannan - Delile Mariit : Cosnon (Age 12) : Caianne (Age 6) : Ser Delcon - Mareth 'House of Mariit' The arms for the House of Mariit are an oak tree on a field of white. : Lord Darian - Lady Jeaona : Delile - Bannan Stroven : Runn (Age 15) : Ser Braus - Anya : Geon (Age 13) : Senna (Age 11) 'House of Stenoric' The arms for the House of Stenoric are a black horse at gallop on a field of green. : Lord Frizkav - Lady Yvara : Aleron - Virene : Ser Astav (Knight-Brother of the Knights of the Old Gate) : Raelynn (Age 13) : Beran (Age 3) Category:Northpoint Category:Thorkan